An officer from Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) has been suspended from duties following allegations claiming that he filmed a teenager at a public bath in Japan. The ministry confirmed the report and said that it would extend its cooperation to the Japanese authorities.
This comes after the Japanese media said the 55-year-old diplomat, attached to the Singapore embassy in Tokyo, was questioned by police after being suspected of filming a 13-year-old student at a public bath.
MFA to Waive Diplomatic Immunity to Facilitate Investigations?
The ministry, in a reply to a local news site CNA, said, "We will cooperate with the Japanese authorities and take the necessary actions. We would also be prepared to waive diplomatic immunity to facilitate investigations if the alleged facts bear out."
The MFA added that it was made aware of the allegation on Wednesday after the Japanese media contacted them. The ministry also said that the allegations were made against one of its personnel who was previously associated to the embassy.
"The staff (member) in question had completed his tour of duty as scheduled and returned to Singapore in mid-April 2024," the ministry told CAN. It further said that the officer did not inform the ministry about the incident until he was questioned on Wednesday.
MFA Reached Out to Relevant Authorities for Information
MFA said that it expects all its staff to uphold the "highest standards of conduct" and to abide by the laws of their host countries. It said, "From the time of the alleged offence on Feb 27, 2024, to today, we have not received information from the authorities in Tokyo. The ministry has reached out to the relevant authorities for information and will be thoroughly investigating the incident."
Meanwhile, Japanese news outlet NHK reported that the diplomat was a former counsellor at the embassy.
Yomiuri Shimbun, another Japanese news outlet, reported that on February 27, the accused allegedly used his smartphone to record the 'naked' student who was in a changing room.
According to Asahi Shimbun report, the staff at the public bath in Tokyo's Minato Ward called the police, who searched the diplomat's phone and found naked photographs of male customers.
However, the diplomat has reportedly refused to go to a police station and claimed to have taken photographs at other public baths as well.
Over 700 Photographs Deleted
The Japanese news outlet also reported that when the diplomat was asked to delete the photos from his phone, he "deleted them on the spot." Around 700 photographs were deleted, which the diplomat told the police he had taken in the six months leading up to the incident.
According to reports, Tokyo police are investigating potential violations of child pornography laws, with formal charges being considered and are planning to ask Singapore's Foreign Affairs ministry to get the man to turn himself in.
For the unversed, a diplomat cannot be arrested according to the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
